The invention relates to a simplified marine drive gear case eliminating the need for needle or roller bearings supporting the vertical drive shaft.
The invention accomplishes the noted simplification by means of sleeve bearings and a thrust washer bearing, and a lubrication system for circulating lubricant through the sleeve bearings and the thrust washer bearing to carry heat away therefrom to substantially increase longevity. It has been found in durability testing that the lubrication system and sleeve and thrust washer bearing arrangement not only meets but far exceeds the life rating of needle or roller bearing arrangements for the vertical drive shaft in a marine drive.